Most recent papers:

• Incidental Exposure, Selective Exposure, and Political Information Sharing: Integrating Online Exposure Patterns and Expression on Social Media.
  Brian E. Weeks, Daniel S. Lane, Dam Hee Kim, Slgi S. Lee, Nojin Kwak.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. October 12, 2017
  Political information sharing in social media offers citizens opportunities to engage with news and express their political views, but how do different patterns of online political information exposure, including both incidental and selective exposure, affect sharing? Using two‐wave panel survey data collected in the United States, we examine the relationship between incidental and selective exposure and their consequent links to political information sharing, across different levels of strength of political party affiliation. Our results demonstrate that incidental exposure to counter‐attitudinal information drives stronger partisans to more actively seek out like‐minded political content, which subsequently encourages political information sharing on social media. The results highlight the need to consider both types of political information exposure when modeling citizens' political behavior online.

  October 12, 2017   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12199   open full text
• The Identification and Influence of Social Roles in a Social Media Product Community.
  Lamya Benamar, Christine Balagué, Mohamad Ghassany.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. October 12, 2017
  This research focuses on the identification of social roles and an investigation of their influence in online context. Relying on a systemic approach for role conceptualization, we investigate member's activity, shared content and position in the network within a consumer to consumer social media‐based community (SMC) around a product. This investigation led to the identification of ten core roles, based on three key elements: object of interest (product, practice, and community), main contribution type (sharing information and seeking information), individual orientation (factual, emotional). We propose an explanation about how these roles, through their positioning, participate in the community dynamics and how they contribute to the creation and diffusion of cookery as a social practice, shaping the periphery around this practice.

  October 12, 2017   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12195   open full text
• Is Anybody Out There?: Understanding Masspersonal Communication Through Expectations for Response Across Social Media Platforms.
  Megan French, Natalya N. Bazarova.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. October 12, 2017
  This work extends the masspersonal communication model (MPCM; O'Sullivan & Carr, 2017) by introducing anticipated interaction as a way to understand variations within the masspersonal continuum. Drawing from Thompson's mediated communication framework (1995), we argue that anticipated interaction paves the way for establishing a communicative relationship between interactants. In social media, this relationship is rooted in a sender's expectations for audience response and the imagined responsive audience. Using experience sampling, we show that anticipated interaction varies across social media. Further, we outline the relational and situational factors associated with expecting response and the specificity of imagined responsive audience. These variations and their sources characterize masspersonal communication as a socially and technologically situated practice shaped by multiple intersecting influences.

  October 12, 2017   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12197   open full text
• We Face, I Tweet: How Different Social Media Influence Political Participation through Collective and Internal Efficacy.
  Daniel Halpern, Sebastián Valenzuela, James E. Katz.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. September 19, 2017
  This study advances a theoretical model centered on collective and internal efficacy to explain the separate pathways through which political sharing on Facebook and Twitter may influence individuals to engage in political activities. We test the model with data from a 2‐wave panel survey conducted with an adult population in 2013 in Chile. We found that frequent usage of Facebook and Twitter for sharing political information is conducive to higher levels of participation through different efficacy measures. Facebook has a significant effect on collective—not internal—efficacy, whereas Twitter's effect is on internal—not collective—efficacy. Results are discussed in light of the diverse affordances and strengths of network ties of Facebook and Twitter.

  September 19, 2017   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12198   open full text
• Digital News Consumption and Copyright Intervention: Evidence from Spain Before and After the 2015 “Link Tax”.
  Sílvia Majó‐Vázquez, Ana S. Cardenal, Sandra González‐Bailón.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. September 15, 2017
  We analyze patterns of digital news consumption before and after a “link tax” was introduced in Spain. This new legislation imposed a copyright fee for showing snippets of content created by newspapers and resulted in the shutdown of Google News Spain. The Spanish copyright law is a precedent to the Copyright Directive currently submitted to the European Parliament, which is planning to impose a similar “link tax.” We offer empirical evidence that can help evaluate the impact of that sort of intervention. We analyze data tracking news consumption behavior to assess changes in audience reach and audience fragmentation. We show that the law has no discernible impact on reach, but we identify an increase in the fragmentation of news consumption.

  September 15, 2017   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12196   open full text
• Civil Society in Times of Crisis: Understanding Collective Action Dynamics in Digitally‐Enabled Volunteer Networks.
  Yannis Theocharis, Silia Vitoratou, Javier Sajuria.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. September 05, 2017
  Social media play an important role in political mobilization. Voluntary engagement can especially benefit from new opportunities for organizing collective action. Although research has explored the use of Twitter by decentralized individuals for this, there has been little emphasis on its use for community engagement and the provision of public goods. Even less is known about its role in the emergence and offline expansion of spontaneous self‐organized solidarity initiatives. This paper investigates how networked communication facilitates self‐organization and the development of ties in a network of volunteers in Greece. To examine whether initiative‐specific community feelings that can transcend online‐offlsine divides evolve in such hybrid networks, the analysis is complemented with individual‐level data drawn from a survey with the initiative's volunteers.

  September 05, 2017   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12194   open full text
• Structure of Ego‐Alter Relationships of Politicians in Twitter.
  Valerio Arnaboldi, Andrea Passarella, Marco Conti, Robin Dunbar.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. September 05, 2017
  We analyze the ego‐alter Twitter networks of 300 Italian MPs and 18 European leaders, and of about 14,000 generic users. We find structural properties typical of social environments, meaning that Twitter activity is controlled by constraints that are similar to those shaping conventional social relationships. However, the evolution of ego‐alter ties is very dynamic, which suggests that they are not entirely used for social interaction, but for public signaling and self‐promotion. From this standpoint, the behavior of EU leaders is much more evident, while Italian MPs are in between them and generic users. We find that politicians – more than generic users – create relationships as a side effect of tweeting on discussion topics, rather than by contacting specific alters.

  September 05, 2017   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12193   open full text
• The Relationship Between Cyberbalkanization and Opinion Polarization: Time‐Series Analysis on Facebook Pages and Opinion Polls During the Hong Kong Occupy Movement and the Associated Debate on Political Reform.
  Chung‐hong Chan, King‐wa Fu.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. August 04, 2017
  Online activity is often cyberbalkanized, but it remains unclear whether this phenomenon leads to polarization of public opinion or if the relationship works in the reverse direction. This study tested the temporal association between cyberbalkanization and opinion polarization during the debate on political reform in Hong Kong. Online communities were constructed by a post‐sharing network of 1,644 Facebook pages (101,410 shares); the differences between intra‐ and inter‐community shares were derived, and a cyberbalkanization index was computed. A time‐series analysis showed that the index temporally preceded the opinion polarization, i.e., most of the opinion poll's respondents gave extreme ratings to government leaders, but not vice versa. The index was particularly predictive of polarization among youth.

  August 04, 2017   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12192   open full text
• Incivility and Political Identity on the Internet: Intergroup Factors as Predictors of Incivility in Discussions of News Online.
  Stephen A. Rains, Kate Kenski, Kevin Coe, Jake Harwood.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. July 17, 2017
  Although incivility is an increasing concern among scholars and the public, explanations for this phenomenon sometimes overlook the role of computer‐mediated communication. Drawing from the social identity model of deindividuation effects (SIDE), we consider incivility as a form of identity performance occurring in the visually anonymous contexts that are typical online. Specifically, we examine partisan political identities and intergroup factors as predictors of incivility in a newspaper discussion forum. Contrary to expectations, conservatives were less likely to be uncivil as the proportion of ingroup members (i.e., other conservatives) in the discussion increased and less sensitive to incivility directed at outgroup members (i.e., liberals) than were nonconservatives. Audience members had more extreme evaluations of uncivil comments made by partisans than nonpartisans.

  July 17, 2017   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12191   open full text
• Can Interface Cues Nudge Modeling of Food Consumption? Experiments on a Food‐Ordering Website.
  Jinghui (“Jove”) Hou.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. July 13, 2017
  Following the nudging perspective, this research investigates how technology interface could cue heuristics that influence decisions. A field study showed that interface cues on a food‐ordering website signaling the amount of food other users consume could trigger an anchoring heuristic and induce individuals to model that amount when deciding their own consumption volume. A laboratory experiment further showed that the anchoring cue tends to induce the modeling behavior of individuals without them being aware of its influence, and such an influence was especially pronounced when resources for cognitive deliberation were limited. Altogether, this research suggests that interface cues could function as nudges and influence decisions at a relatively automatic level. Implications for technology design and intervention are discussed.

  July 13, 2017   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12190   open full text
• Object Touch by a Humanoid Robot Avatar Induces Haptic Sensation in the Real Hand.
  Laura Aymerich‐Franch, Damien Petit, Gowrishankar Ganesh, Abderrahmane Kheddar.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. July 10, 2017
  Humanoid robot embodiment is a recently developed form of mediated embodiment. In 2 studies, we report and quantify a new haptic (touch) illusion during embodiment of a humanoid robot. Around 60% of the users in our studies reported haptic sensations in their real hand when they observed their robot avatar touching a curtain with its hand. Critically, our study shows for the first time that users can experience haptic sensations from a nonanthropomorphic embodied limb/agent with visual feedback alone (i.e. no haptic feedback provided). The results have important implications for the understanding of the cognitive processes governing mediated embodiment and the design of avatar scenarios.

  July 10, 2017   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12188   open full text
• Civic Technology and Community Building: Interaction Effects Between Integrated Connectedness to a Storytelling Network (ICSN) and Internet and Mobile Uses on Civic Participation.
  Seungahn Nah, Masahiro Yamamoto.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. July 04, 2017
  This study draws on communication infrastructure theory (CIT) to examine the extent to which expressive uses of Internet and mobile devices moderate the relationship between integrated connectedness to a storytelling network (ICSN) and offline and online civic participation. Data collected through a Web survey of a U.S. national online panel (N = 1201) reveal that the relationships of ICSN with offline and online civic participation are conditioned by locality‐oriented expressive uses of Internet and mobile media. With these findings, this study discusses theoretical insights, policy implications, and practical applications.

  July 04, 2017   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12189   open full text
• Sexting and Sexual Behavior, 2011–2015: A Critical Review and Meta‐Analysis of a Growing Literature.
  Kami Kosenko, Geoffrey Luurs, Andrew R. Binder.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. May 15, 2017
  Sexting and its potential links to sexual behavior, including risky sexual practices, have received scholarly scrutiny, but this literature is marked by divergent perspectives and disparate findings. To assess claims regarding the nature of the relationship between sexting and sexual behavior, we conducted a critical review of the literature and analyzed data from 15 articles via quantitative meta‐analytic techniques. Sexting behavior was positively related to sexual activity, unprotected sex, and one's number of sexual partners, but the relationship was weak to moderate. Additional information, gleaned from a critical review of included studies, helped contextualize these findings and point to specific limitations and directions for future research.

  May 15, 2017   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12187   open full text
• Shape and Size Matter for Smartwatches: Effects of Screen Shape, Screen Size, and Presentation Mode in Wearable Communication.
  Ki Joon Kim.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. April 21, 2017
  This study investigates how variations in the screen shape (round vs. square) and screen size (large vs. small) of smartwatches affect their hedonic and pragmatic qualities and the evaluation of transmitted information. Results from a between‐subjects experiment (N = 160) indicate that large screens positively influence information quality by simultaneously increasing both the hedonic and pragmatic qualities of smartwatches. However, the effects of round screens on information quality are mediated only by the hedonic quality, suggesting that square screens are more closely associated with the pragmatic, rather than hedonic, quality of the medium. The results also reveal that the effects of screen shape and screen size are moderated by the presentation mode (text + image vs. text only) of information.

  April 21, 2017   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12186   open full text
• Effects of the News‐Finds‐Me Perception in Communication: Social Media Use Implications for News Seeking and Learning About Politics.
  Homero Gil de Zúñiga, Brian Weeks, Alberto Ardèvol‐Abreu.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. April 11, 2017
  With social media at the forefront of today's media context, citizens may perceive they don't need to actively seek news because they will be exposed to news and remain well‐informed through their peers and social networks. We label this the “news‐finds‐me perception,” and test its implications for news seeking and political knowledge: “news‐finds‐me effects.” U.S. panel‐survey data show that individuals who perceive news will find them are less likely to use traditional news sources and are less knowledgeable about politics over time. Although the news‐finds‐me perception is positively associated with news exposure on social media, this behavior doesn't facilitate political learning. These results suggest news continues to enhance political knowledge best when actively sought.

  April 11, 2017   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12185   open full text
• Reinforcement or Displacement? The Reciprocity of FtF, IM, and SNS Communication and Their Effects on Loneliness and Life Satisfaction.
  Tobias Dienlin, Philipp K. Masur, Sabine Trepte.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. February 16, 2017
  Does communication on social network sites (SNSs) or instant messengers (IMs) reinforce or displace face‐to‐face (FtF) communication, and how do the 3 channels affect loneliness and life satisfaction? Using cross‐lagged structural equation modeling in a longitudinal and representative sample from Germany, we found that SNS communication increased both FtF and IM communication 6 months later. Likewise, IM communication at T1 increased SNS communication at T2. FtF, SNS, and IM communication did not affect loneliness, and FtF and IM communication did not change life satisfaction. However, communication on SNSs slightly increased life satisfaction. Thus, the data indicated that conversing via SNSs and IM has a mainly reinforcing effect and that communicating via SNSs can enhance life satisfaction several months later.

  February 16, 2017   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12183   open full text
• Should I Share That? Prompting Social Norms That Influence Privacy Behaviors on a Social Networking Site.
  Erin L. Spottswood, Jeffrey T. Hancock.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. February 13, 2017
  This study examines how explicit and implicit cues to social norms affect disclosure and privacy decisions in a Social Network Site (SNS) context. Study 1 revealed that participants' disclosure behavior adhered to explicit cues indicating disclosure frequency norms, while implicit social norm cues (i.e., surveillance primes) acted to increase overall disclosure frequency and affect disclosure accuracy when explicit cues discourage disclosure. Study 2 explored how these cues affected privacy‐setting decisions and found that explicit cues indicating others' privacy settings could increase how strictly participants set their privacy settings, but the implicit cues had no effect. These results suggest that explicit cues about SNS norms can trigger bandwagon heuristic processing, and that, under limited circumstances, surveillance primes can affect self‐disclosure.

  February 13, 2017   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12182   open full text
• Digital Game Dynamics Preferences and Player Types.
  Jukka Vahlo, Johanna K Kaakinen, Suvi K. Holm, Aki Koponen.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. February 08, 2017
  In this study, we examine digital game preferences by identifying game dynamics, i.e. player–game interaction modes, of 700 contemporary digital games, and players' (N = 1717) desire to play games with specific types of dynamics. Based on statistical analysis of the data, 5 game dynamics preference categories (“assault,” “manage,” “journey,” “care,” and “coordinate”) and 7 player types were revealed. The results show that identifying player types requires including both preferred and undesired game dynamics categories in the analysis. The findings unveil digital gaming as a more multifaceted phenomenon than common stereotypes suggest. The original game preferences model we present in this study can be conceptualized as a complementary approach for motivations to play and player behavior studies.

  February 08, 2017   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12181   open full text
• Explicating Affordances: A Conceptual Framework for Understanding Affordances in Communication Research.
  Sandra K. Evans, Katy E. Pearce, Jessica Vitak, Jeffrey W. Treem.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. December 26, 2016
  This study aims to clarify inconsistencies regarding the term affordances by examining how affordances terminology is used in empirical research on communication and technology. Through an analysis of 82 communication‐oriented scholarly works on affordances, we identify 3 inconsistencies regarding the use of this term. First, much research describes a particular affordance without engaging other scholarship addressing that affordance. Second, several studies identify “lists” of affordances without conceptually developing individual affordances within those lists. Third, the affordances perspective is evoked in situations where the purported affordance does not meet commonly accepted definitions. We conclude with a set of criteria to aid scholars in evaluating their assumptions about affordances and to facilitate a more consistent approach to its conceptualization and application.

  December 26, 2016   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12180   open full text
• Reflecting on Connecting: Meta‐Analysis of Differences Between Computer‐Mediated and Face‐to‐Face Self‐Disclosure.
  Erin K. Ruppel, Clare Gross, Arrington Stoll, Brittnie S. Peck, Mike Allen, Sang‐Yeon Kim.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. November 30, 2016
  Self‐disclosure is a key concept in computer‐mediated communication (CMC) theory and research, but disagreement exists about the impact of CMC, relative to face‐to‐face (FtF) communication, on self‐disclosure. We conducted a meta‐analysis of studies comparing self‐disclosure in CMC and FtF communication to summarize and clarify existing research. We also examined potential moderators of this difference—measure of self‐disclosure, study design (survey or experiment), interaction context (task or social), type of CMC (text‐based or video‐based), and interaction length. Overall, self‐disclosure was higher in FtF communication than in CMC. Measure of self‐disclosure, study design, and type of CMC moderated this difference. Findings suggest mixed support for predictions derived from key CMC theories and a need for CMC theory to more explicitly address self‐disclosure.

  November 30, 2016   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12179   open full text
• Information Overload, Similarity, and Redundancy: Unsubscribing Information Sources on Twitter.
  Hai Liang, King‐wa Fu.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. November 30, 2016
  The emergence of social media has changed individuals' information consumption patterns. The purpose of this study is to explore the role of information overload, similarity, and redundancy in unsubscribing information sources from users' information repertoires. In doing so, we randomly selected nearly 7,500 ego networks on Twitter and tracked their activities in 2 waves. A multilevel logistic regression model was deployed to test our hypotheses. Results revealed that individuals (egos) obtain information by following a group of stable users (alters). An ego's likelihood of unfollowing alters is negatively associated with their information similarity, but is positively associated with both information overload and redundancy. Furthermore, relational factors can modify the impact of information redundancy on unfollowing.

  November 30, 2016   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12178   open full text
• Interacting Socially with the Internet of Things (IoT): Effects of Source Attribution and Specialization in Human–IoT Interaction.
  Ki Joon Kim.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. October 20, 2016
  This study investigates the theoretical mechanisms by which the variations in source attribution (multiple sources vs. single source) and specialization (multifunctionality vs. single functionality) of Internet of Things (IoT) devices influence the quality of human–IoT interaction. Results from a between‐subjects experiment (N = 100) indicate that IoT devices that elicit the sense of multiple agencies and are specialized in a single function induce greater social presence and perceived expertise, which, in turn, lead individuals to show a more positive attitude toward the devices and to ascribe greater quality to the information transmitted by them. The results also reveal that the effect of multiple source attribution is more pronounced for individuals for whom the content of the information has low personal relevance.

  October 20, 2016   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12177   open full text
• Differential Use, Differential Effects: Investigating the Roles of Different Modes of News Use in Promoting Political Participation.
  Jihyang Choi.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. October 03, 2016
  The present study clarifies the role of the informational use of media in facilitating citizens' political participation by focusing on three distinctive modes of news experience (i.e., news reading, posting, and endorsing) within the context of online social networking sites (SNSs). The findings show that news posting contributes to greater participation in politics by positively mediating the relationship between the use of SNSs and participatory activities. In contrast, news reading and endorsing were not significantly associated with political participation. In addition, the study found that the indirect effects of SNS use on participation via news posting are highest among those with a high degree of network political expertise and lower among those with an average level of such expertise.

  October 03, 2016   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12176   open full text
• Media Niche of Electronic Communication Channels in Friendship: A Meta‐Analysis.
  Dong Liu, Chia‐chen Yang.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. September 23, 2016
  The current landscape of communication technologies is characterized by a wide variety of choices. As each medium provides different affordances, each may occupy a different niche and be used in different relationships. Drawing on the theory of the niche, we did a meta‐analysis involving 27 effect sizes from 22 independent samples to test the correlation between media selection/use and friendship closeness. Results showed that the 5 communication channels filled 2 different friendship closeness niches. Mobile phone calls and texting had stronger positive correlations with friendship closeness than instant messaging, social network sites, and online gaming. Culture, but not gender, moderated some of these correlations: Friendship closeness had a stronger positive association with SNS use and online gaming in collectivist cultures.

  September 23, 2016   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12175   open full text
• Experiencing Nature: Embodying Animals in Immersive Virtual Environments Increases Inclusion of Nature in Self and Involvement With Nature.
  Sun Joo (Grace) Ahn, Joshua Bostick, Elise Ogle, Kristine L. Nowak, Kara T. McGillicuddy, Jeremy N. Bailenson.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. September 14, 2016
  Immersive virtual environments (IVEs) produce simulations that mimic unmediated sensory experiences. 3 experiments (N = 228) tested how different modalities increase environmental involvement by allowing users to inhabit the body of animals in IVEs or watch the experience on video. Embodying sensory‐rich experiences of animals in IVEs led to greater feeling of embodiment, perception of being present in the virtual world, and interconnection between the self and nature compared to video. Heightened interconnection with nature elicited greater perceptions of imminence of the environmental risk and involvement with nature, which persisted for 1 week. Although the effect sizes were small to moderate, findings suggest that embodied experiences in IVEs may be an effective tool to promote involvement with environmental issues.

  September 14, 2016   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12173   open full text
• Why Are “Others” So Polarized? Perceived Political Polarization and Media Use in 10 Countries.
  JungHwan Yang, Hernando Rojas, Magdalena Wojcieszak, Toril Aalberg, Sharon Coen, James Curran, Kaori Hayashi, Shanto Iyengar, Paul K. Jones, Gianpietro Mazzoleni, Stylianos Papathanassopoulos, June Woong Rhee, David Rowe, Stuart Soroka, Rodney Tiffen.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. September 13, 2016
  This study tests the associations between news media use and perceived political polarization, conceptualized as citizens' beliefs about partisan divides among major political parties. Relying on representative surveys in Canada, Colombia, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States, we test whether perceived polarization is related to the use of television news, newspaper, radio news, and online news media. Data show that online news consumption is systematically and consistently related to perceived polarization, but not to attitude polarization, understood as individual attitude extremity. In contrast, the relationships between traditional media use and perceived and attitude polarization is mostly country dependent. An explanation of these findings based on exemplification is proposed and tested in an experimental design.

  September 13, 2016   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12166   open full text
• Public Cellphone Use Does Not Activate Negative Responses in Others…Unless They Hate Cellphones.
  Amy L. Gonzales, Yijie Wu.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. September 13, 2016
  Ostracism dramatically reduces psychosocial well‐being. Many studies have examined ostracism within digital environments, but to our knowledge no one has examined ostracism as manifested through public cellphone use. Experimental data revealed that public texting or reading on a cellphone was less ostracizing to copresent others than face‐to‐face ostracism but more ostracizing than face‐to‐face inclusion. Though cellphone use was somewhat ostracizing it did not prompt negative psychological effects, supporting the notion of cellphone taken‐for‐grantedness. Exceptions were found for those reporting phone technostress; these individuals were negatively affected by exposure to someone reading on a cellphone. Findings extend the ostracism paradigm to a new context and support research on the importance of attitudes and norms in shaping the effects of public cellphone use.

  September 13, 2016   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12174   open full text
• An Extended Privacy Calculus Model for SNSs: Analyzing Self‐Disclosure and Self‐Withdrawal in a Representative U.S. Sample.
  Tobias Dienlin, Miriam J. Metzger.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. August 04, 2016
  The privacy calculus established that online self‐disclosures are based on a cost‐benefit tradeoff. For the context of SNSs, however, the privacy calculus still needs further support as most studies consist of small student samples and analyze self‐disclosure only, excluding self‐withdrawal (e.g., the deletion of posts), which is essential in SNS contexts. Thus, this study used a U.S. representative sample to test the privacy calculus' generalizability and extend its theoretical framework by including both self‐withdrawal behaviors and privacy self‐efficacy. Results confirmed the extended privacy calculus model. Moreover, both privacy concerns and privacy self‐efficacy positively predicted use of self‐withdrawal. With regard to predicting self‐disclosure in SNSs, benefits outweighed privacy concerns; regarding self‐withdrawal, privacy concerns outweighed both privacy self‐efficacy and benefits.

  August 04, 2016   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12163   open full text
• Driving a Wedge Between Evidence and Beliefs: How Online Ideological News Exposure Promotes Political Misperceptions.
  R. Kelly Garrett, Brian E. Weeks, Rachel L. Neo.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. August 04, 2016
  This article has 2 goals: to provide additional evidence that exposure to ideological online news media contributes to political misperceptions, and to test 3 forms this media‐effect might take. Analyses are based on representative survey data collected during the 2012 U.S. presidential election (N = 1,004). Panel data offer persuasive evidence that biased news site use promotes inaccurate beliefs, while cross‐sectional data provide insight into the nature of these effects. There is no evidence that exposure to ideological media reduces awareness of politically unfavorable evidence, though in some circumstances biased media do promote misunderstandings of it. The strongest and most consistent influence of ideological media exposure is to encourage inaccurate beliefs regardless of what consumers know of the evidence.

  August 04, 2016   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12164   open full text
• The Relationship Between Facebook Use and Well‐Being Depends on Communication Type and Tie Strength.
  Moira Burke, Robert E. Kraut.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. July 26, 2016
  An extensive literature shows that social relationships influence psychological well‐being, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We test predictions about online interactions and well‐being made by theories of belongingness, relationship maintenance, relational investment, social support, and social comparison. An opt‐in panel study of 1,910 Facebook users linked self‐reported measures of well‐being to counts of respondents' Facebook activities from server logs. Specific uses of the site were associated with improvements in well‐being: Receiving targeted, composed communication from strong ties was associated with improvements in well‐being while viewing friends' wide‐audience broadcasts and receiving one‐click feedback were not. These results suggest that people derive benefits from online communication, as long it comes from people they care about and has been tailored for them.

  July 26, 2016   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12162   open full text
• Hyperlinks as Institutionalized Connective Public Goods for Collective Action Online.
  Jiawei Sophia Fu, Michelle Shumate.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. June 21, 2016
  Nongovernmental organization (NGO) hyperlink networks are institutionalized connective public goods. They influence which actors and what aspects of social issues are made visible to the public in search engine results. To understand how contextual forces and institutional pressures influence who hyperlinks to whom online, this research examines a hyperlink network of 410 NGOs with various social missions operating across China. It suggests that institutional factors external to the network impact the structure of NGO hyperlink networks. In particular, institutional convener and legal registration status induce homophily hyperlinking effects among organizations, controlling for network interdependencies and other organizational attributes. Implications for hyperlink networks, institutional homophily, NGO collective action, and the development of civil society in China are drawn from the results.

  June 21, 2016   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12161   open full text
• Frequent Interaction and Fast Feedback Predict Perceived Social Support: Using Crawled and Self‐Reported Data of Facebook Users.
  Mihye Seo, Jinhee Kim, Hyeseung Yang.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. May 18, 2016
  The present study examines if Facebooking can contribute to psychological well‐being and if so, which aspects of Facebook use could play a significant role. Matching crawled data with self‐reported data from mobile Facebook users, we found that more social interactions with Facebook friends and faster friends' reactions to a user's post contributed toFacebook user's perceived social support and ultimately alleviated loneliness. We also found that the association between frequency as well as speed of Facebook social interactions and psychological well‐being were more significant among those who were sensitive to other's behaviors and feelings than those who were not. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings, particularly regarding mobile communication context, are also discussed.

  May 18, 2016   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12160   open full text
• Do Men Advance Faster Than Women? Debunking the Gender Performance Gap in Two Massively Multiplayer Online Games.
  Cuihua Shen, Rabindra Ratan, Y. Dora Cai, Alex Leavitt.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. May 18, 2016
  Prior research on digital games illustrates a perceived gender gap in participation and performance, suggesting men as playing more and better than women. This article challenges the gender gap using longitudinal behavioral data of men and women in 2 MMOs in the United States and China. Results show that women advance at least as fast as men do in both games. Thus, perceived gender‐based performance disparities seem to result from factors that are confounded with gender (i.e., amount of play), not player gender itself. We conclude that the stereotype of female players as inferior is not only false, but also a potential cause for unequal participation in digital gaming.

  May 18, 2016   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12159   open full text
• Bubbling Up the Good Ideas: A Two‐Mode Network Analysis of an Intra‐Organizational Idea Challenge.
  Bryan Stephens, Wenhong Chen, John Sibley Butler.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. May 09, 2016
  Organizations have been experimenting with intraorganizational crowdsourcing (IOC), yet the mechanisms of IOC production remain an underresearched topic. Drawing on a 2‐mode ERGM, we examine structural mechanisms and individual‐level factors that shape the network structure of idea generation and selection yielded by an IOC idea challenge in a global IT corporation. Results show a Matthew effect leading to 1) highly centralized employee participation around a few “superactive” employees who engage with many ideas and 2) highly centralized idea popularity with a few ideas attracting most employee attention. We find support for shared affiliations among employee‐idea clusters in the first half of the participation, which is, however, less likely in the second half. We also find support for geographic homophily.

  May 09, 2016   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12158   open full text
• Digital Inclusion in Rural Areas: A Qualitative Exploration of Challenges Faced by People From Isolated Communities.
  Teresa Correa, Isabel Pavez.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. March 24, 2016
  This study explored the interplay between contextual and individual factors related to Internet adoption in isolated rural communities. By investigating 10 remote villages throughout Chile that received Internet access infrastructure in 2010–2011, we identified 3 areas in which contextual and individual factors are intertwined. First, the geographical isolation shaped people's personality and attitudes towards new experiences, including digital technologies. Second, the communities' aging population also represented a strong challenge because they lack young people, a relevant technology socialization agent. Finally, jobs and economic activities are related to people's (lack of) motivations and needs towards digital technologies. When the Internet has reached the vast majority of the population, isolated communities confront specific challenges that we need to consider in policy‐making decisions.

  March 24, 2016   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12154   open full text
• Reimagining Internet Geographies: A User‐Centric Ethnological Mapping of the World Wide Web.
  Angela Xiao Wu, Harsh Taneja.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. March 04, 2016
  We propose a new user‐centric imagery of the WWW that foregrounds local usage and its shaping forces, in contrast to existing imageries that prioritize Internet infrastructure. We construct ethnological maps of WWW usage through a network analysis of shared global traffic between 1000 most popular websites at 3 time points and develop granular measures for exploring global participation in online communication. Our results reveal the significant growth and thickening of online regional cultures associated with the global South. We draw attention to how local cultural identity, affirmative state intervention and economic contexts shape regional cultures on the global WWW.

  March 04, 2016   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12157   open full text
• I Am What I See: How Avatar and Opponent Agent Body Size Affects Physical Activity Among Men Playing Exergames.
  Jorge Peña, Subuhi Khan, Cassandra Alexopoulos.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. January 12, 2016
  This study examined how avatar body size (normal, obese) and opponent character body size (normal, obese) influenced physical activity while male participants played an exergame. Males operating normal weight avatars showed more physical activity than those using obese avatars. Perceived avatar and opponent character body‐size differences moderated the effect of avatar appearance on physical activity. Participants showed decreased physical activity when the opponent character was perceived as slightly more obese than their avatar. Participants also showed decreased physical activity when their avatar was perceived as more obese than the opponent character. We discuss theoretical implications and applications of using virtual characters to increase gamers' physical activity. These findings are also compared to an earlier study with an all‐female sample.

  January 12, 2016   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12151   open full text
• (Russian) Writer‐Bloggers: Digital Perfection and the Aesthetics of Imperfection.
  Ellen Rutten.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. June 02, 2014
  This article explores readings of (micro)blogging services as outlets for playful, “imperfect” language. Adopting a transcultural approach, it examines a blog category that has attracted scarce academic attention to date: the creative worker's blog. Through a qualitative analysis of metalinguistic statements by 14 Russian writer‐bloggers, the author tests 2 interdependent hypotheses: (H1) through metalinguistic statements and pragmatic strategies, writers present language play and “imperfect” language as prototypical for new media; and (H2) If H1 is correct, the writer‐blogger's preference for “imperfect” language caters into a broader cultural‐philosophical anxiety – one of foregrounding imperfection as an aesthetic counterresponse to digital perfection.

  June 02, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12086   open full text
• Fear Appeals, Message Processing Cues, and Credibility in the Websites of Violent, Ideological, and Nonideological Groups.
  Norah E. Dunbar, Shane Connelly, Matthew L. Jensen, Bradley J. Adame, Bobby Rozzell, Jennifer A. Griffith, H. Dan O'Hair.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. May 29, 2014
  Ideological groups use the Internet to deliver their messages unhindered by the constraints of traditional media. We examined how ideological groups promote their worldview through their websites. Using the elaboration likelihood model (ELM), this research used trained coders to examine the websites of nonideological groups (n = 37), nonviolent ideological groups (n = 36), and violent ideological groups (n = 32) for credibility, persuasion processing cues, and interactivity factors. Results of this study found that the websites of violent ideological groups use more fear appeals, were less interactive, and were the least credible of the 3 groups. All 3 groups used more central cues than peripheral suggesting they focused on evidence for their arguments rather than emotion.

  May 29, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12083   open full text
• Gendered Space: The Digital Divide between Male and Female Users in Internet Public Access Sites.
  Laura J. Dixon, Teresa Correa, Joseph Straubhaar, Laura Covarrubias, Dean Graber, Jeremiah Spence, Viviana Rojas.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. May 26, 2014
  Community technology centers and libraries have been crucial components of public policy initiatives to reduce the digital divide. Using theories of structuration and the social construction of technology, this paper examines the gender dynamics of the digital divide at public access points in Austin, TX over 10 years. Using extensive participant observations, we found male users outnumber female users in public access Internet usage, even accounting for age and ethnicity. In‐depth interviews revealed that both sexes saw public access as the least desirable place to use the Internet, but discourses around libraries differed. Female interviewees associated libraries with nostalgia for books and family, while male interviewees associated libraries with technology. Older female users also described feelings of technophobia.

  May 26, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12088   open full text
• Living the VirtuReal: Negotiating Transgender Identity in Cyberspace.
  Avi Marciano.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. May 26, 2014
  This paper examines the ways transgender users manoeuver between online and offline worlds in order to negotiate their complicated gender identity and to overcome offline impediments. The study is based on virtual ethnography and discourse analysis within two online arenas, a newsgroup and a website, which are central to the Israeli transgender community. The analysis suggests that transgender users employ cyberspace as preliminary, complementary, and/or alternative spheres. Delving deeper into the meaning of the alternative sphere, the paper revisits 2 central issues in Internet research, namely the relationships between the online and the offline worlds, and identity management within online settings. The paper concludes by proposing a new term – VirtuReal – to address these issues.

  May 26, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12081   open full text
• Communicating Through Location: The Understood Meaning of the Foursquare Check‐In.
  Jordan Frith.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. May 23, 2014
  Location‐based social networks (LBSNs) are mobile applications that allow people to share their physical location with friends through their mobile device. The sharing of location is a relatively new form of computer‐mediated communication, and there is a lack of existing research examining the coordination practices of people using social location sharing services. This article reports on qualitative interviews with frequent users of the LBSN Foursquare to show both how LBSNs complicate views of the relative “placelessness” of traditional mobile communication and how the design of Foursquare complicates its utility as a mobile coordination tool.

  May 23, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12087   open full text
• Internet Jokes: The Secret Agents of Globalization?
  Limor Shifman, Hadar Levy, Mike Thelwall.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. May 20, 2014
  In this article, we use the somewhat unusual lens of joke translation to examine the process of "user‐generated globalization" – cross‐national diffusion of content by Internet users. We tracked the translations of 100 popular jokes in English into 9 languages and analyzed them quantitatively and qualitatively. Our findings indicate that (1) web‐based diffusion of translated jokes is common but varies greatly, both between languages and between jokes; (2) "global hits" differ from "translation‐resistant" jokes in their themes and incorporation of American markers; and (3) translated joke versions tend to include only minor cultural alternations (such as name shifting), thereby preserving the original messages. Overall, these findings suggest that Internet jokes serve as powerful (albeit often invisible) agents of globalization and Americanization.

  May 20, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12082   open full text
• Predictors of Use of Social Network Sites at Work ‐ A Specific Type of Cyberloafing.
  Cecilie Schou Andreassen, Torbjørn Torsheim, Ståle Pallesen.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. May 20, 2014
  A total of 11,018 employees participated in a survey investigating whether demographic, personality, and work‐related variables could explain variance in attitudes towards and actual use of social network sites for personal purposes during working hours. Age was negatively related to both dependent variables. Male gender, single status, and education were positively associated with both dependent variables. Managers had negative attitudes to use, but top‐level managers reported more use than other respondents. Access to social network sites at the workplace was positively related to both dependent variables, whereas policies prohibiting showed the opposite relationship. Extraversion and Neuroticism were positively related to both dependent variables. Conscientiousness, positive challenge at work, and quantitative demands were all negatively related to both dependent variables.

  May 20, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12085   open full text
• Credibility of Social Network Sites for Political Information Among Politically Interested Internet Users.
  Thomas J. Johnson, Barbara K. Kaye.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. May 20, 2014
  Scholars have confirmed that political candidates are increasingly turning to social network sites (SNS) to persuade voters to vote for them, and that these sites have become prominent sources of political information. But a fundamental question arises about the sustainability of social networks as a campaign tool: How much do users trust the information they find there? This study employed an online survey to examine the degree to which politically interested online users view SNS as credible. SNS were ranked the least credible among the nine traditional and online sources examined. Reliance on social networks proved the strongest predictor of SNS credibility.

  May 20, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12084   open full text
• eHealth and Health Literacy: A Research Methodology Review.
  Michael Mackert, Sara E. Champlin, Avery Holton, Isaac I. Muñoz, Manuel José Damásio.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. April 12, 2014
  The development of e‐health may provide powerful tools to improve health, but users' health literacy plays a role in their ability to make the most of e‐health applications. This study reviewed research focused on e‐health and health literacy, using content analysis to assess 95 articles from 2000 to 2010 to provide an overview of work done in this emerging field. Articles were coded for use of theory, research methods, and clarity of reporting study results. Findings indicate a lack of theory‐driven design and evaluation of e‐health applications, low use of established general health literacy measures, and interdisciplinary work with somewhat limited contributions by communication scholars. Implications for advancing this field of research are discussed.

  April 12, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12044   open full text
• Uniting Political Bloggers in Diversity: Collective Identity and Web Activism.
  Carol Soon, Randy Kluver.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. March 19, 2014
  In contrast to the common view of blogging as a highly narcissistic activity, this study explicates how blogging is a communal activity and the emergence of a collective identity which drives collective action. 41 interviews with activist and nonactivist bloggers revealed that shared consciousness, distinctive blogging practices, and the articulation of a common adversary contribute to the development of a collective identity. Furthermore, identity multiplexity points to the emergence of “individualized collectiveness,” which extends beyond networked individualism and is reinforced by offline participation in activism and pre‐existing social ties with other activists.

  March 19, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12079   open full text
• Sourcing the Arab Spring: A Case Study of Andy Carvin's Sources on Twitter During the Tunisian and Egyptian Revolutions.
  Alfred Hermida, Seth C. Lewis, Rodrigo Zamith.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. March 19, 2014
  News sourcing practices are critical as they shape from whom journalists get their information and what information they obtain, mostly from elite sources. This study evaluates whether social media platforms expand the range of actors involved in the news through a quantitative content analysis of the sources cited by NPR's Andy Carvin on Twitter during the Arab Spring. Results show that, on balance, nonelite sources had a greater representation in the content than elite sources. Alternative actors accounted for nearly half of the messages. The study points to the innovative forms of production that can emerge with new communication technologies, with the journalist as a central node trusted to authenticate and interpret news flows on social awareness streams.

  March 19, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12074   open full text
• Discrediting in a Message Board Forum: The Effects of Social Support and Attacks on Expertise and Trustworthiness.
  Michael G. Hughes, Jennifer A. Griffith, Thomas A. Zeni, Matthew L. Arsenault, Olivia D. Cooper, Genevieve Johnson, Jay H. Hardy, Shane Connelly, Michael D. Mumford.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. March 19, 2014
  Given the prevalence of online media today, credibility continues to be a popular subject of empirical research. However, studies examining the effects of discrediting strategies are rare. This issue is significant given the popularity of online media and the ease of such sources to spread misinformation. Therefore, the present study examines the effects of attacking the expertise and trustworthiness of a proponent of a major social issue. Results showed that support as well specific combinations of discrediting attack strategies significantly reduced message board readers' perceptions of the proponent's credibility. In addition, attacks on either the proponent's expertise or trustworthiness resulted in a reduced likelihood of readers taking action with respect to the issue.

  March 19, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12077   open full text
• Cultivating Social Resources on Social Network Sites: Facebook Relationship Maintenance Behaviors and Their Role in Social Capital Processes.
  Nicole B. Ellison, Jessica Vitak, Rebecca Gray, Cliff Lampe.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. March 19, 2014
  This study explores the relationship between perceived bridging social capital and specific Facebook‐enabled communication behaviors using survey data from a sample of U.S. adults (N=614). We explore the role of a specific set of Facebook behaviors that support relationship maintenance and assess the extent to which demographic variables, time on site, total and “actual” Facebook Friends, and this new measure (Facebook Relationship Maintenance Behaviors) predict bridging social capital. Drawing upon scholarship on social capital and relationship maintenance, we discuss the role of social grooming and attention‐signaling activities in shaping perceived access to resources in one's network as measured by bridging social capital.

  March 19, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12078   open full text
• Networked Press Freedom and Social Media: Tracing Historical and Contemporary Forces in Press‐Public Relations.
  Mike Ananny.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. March 19, 2014
  This paper analyzes how mainstream, online news organizations understand press autonomy in their relationships to audiences. I situate the press in terms of neo‐institutional sociology, seeing its autonomy as a distributed, field‐level phenomenon involving “boundary work” among distributed actors. I then trace press‐audience relations through two historical examples (letters to the editor and ombudsmen), showing how the press has historically both separated itself from and relied upon audiences. Examining eight news organizations' social media policies, I analyze the “inside‐out” and “outside‐in” forces through which the press distinguishes itself from audiences, concluding with a discussion of how such guidelines structure the types of control that news organizations have, or might have, as they use social network sites in their news work.

  March 19, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12076   open full text
• The Digital Divide Objectified in the Design: Use of the Mobile Telephone by Underprivileged Youth in Sri Lanka.
  Dinuka Wijetunga.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. March 18, 2014
  Most discussions on the digital divide have predominantly focused on social disparities in the physical accessibility of information and communication technologies (ICT), and the proposed solutions are related to providing low cost access to the underprivileged. The mobile phone has been considered as a good solution due to its relatively low cost. This paper, based on an empirical study in Sri Lanka, demonstrates that even though the underprivileged population has adopted the mobile phone, most of the computer based communication facilities available in the phones are ‘inaccessible’ to such users due the objectification of broader social inequalities in the design of phones. In other words, the digital divide is objectified in the design.

  March 18, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12071   open full text
• Investigating Modern‐Day Talaria: Mobile Phones and the Mobility‐Impaired in Singapore.
  Arul Chib, Qiaolei Jiang.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. March 18, 2014
  Revisiting the medical and social models of disability, this study adopted the integrated biopsychosocial approach to examine experiences of 25 mobility‐impaired respondents in Singapore with using mobile phones. We found that mobile phones provided respondents a greater degree of mobility, a sense of control, and opportunities to escape the stigma of disability, thus challenging the boundaries between the able‐bodied and the disabled. Mobile phone appropriation allowed the management of personal identities and social networks, leading to a sense of empowerment. However, mobile phone usage might act as a double‐edged sword for disabled people, creating mobile dependencies and a spatial narrowing of social connections. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

  March 18, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12070   open full text
• Smartphones as Polymedia.
  Mirca Madianou.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. March 18, 2014
  This article investigates whether smartphones function as environments of polymedia (Madianou & Miller, 2012) and assesses their consequences for transnational families. Drawing on research with UK‐based Filipino migrants, the article observes that users treat smartphones as integrated environments of communicative opportunities and exploit the differences within media in order to express emotions and manage their relationships with their family members who remain in the Philippines. For smartphone users, being online emerges as the default position and there is evidence that new media become constitutive of relationships in situations of extreme separation. However, technology cannot overcome difficulties that are fundamentally social. Moreover, the article observes the emergence of a new ‘care divide’ between those who own smartphones and those who do not.

  March 18, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12069   open full text
• Can Our Group Survive? An Investigation of the Evolution of Mixed‐Mode Groups.
  Chih‐Hui Lai.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. March 18, 2014
  Applying an ecological and evolutionary perspective, this study examines the evolution and the sustainability of “mixed‐mode groups,” a type of voluntary association created and organized online to interact physically in geographically defined ways. Meetup.com is a website that facilitates the creation and coordination of mixed‐mode groups. Analysis of interviews with 34 Meetup group organizers and a longitudinal analysis of 100 randomly selected Meetup groups revealed the evolutionary processes at the group and population level, respectively. Specifically, the ecological factor of population density, the demographic factor of group age, the group's profit orientation, experience of leadership change and shared leadership, and external ties played decisive roles in predicting group survival. Implications of the findings for theoretical and practical contributions are discussed.

  March 18, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12075   open full text
• Tracking Configurable Culture From the Margins to the Mainstream.
  Aram Sinnreich, Mark Latonero.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. March 18, 2014
  In this study, we analyze data from surveys conducted in 2006 and 2010, tracking changes in awareness, engagement and attitudes surrounding emerging digital cultural forms over this 5‐year period. Our analysis, based on results from thousands of adults around the globe, shows that not only have remixes, mashups and other forms of “configurable culture” become mainstream phenomena, but also that the attitudes surrounding their cultural legitimacy are shifting. While copyright industries still promote a binary theft/permission framework, many people acknowledge the validity of some appropriation, and are actively negotiating the law's limitations. Yet, those most engaged in challenging dominant copyright narratives and exploring these emergent forms are those who hold the reins of cultural power: the young, educated and wealthy.

  March 18, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12073   open full text
• Increasing Attributional Certainty via Social Media: Learning About Others One Bit at a Time.
  Caleb T. Carr, Joseph B. Walther.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. March 18, 2014
  This study presents a novel examination of changes in attributions about individuals via information obtained from online sources within the context of hiring decisions. An experiment had 127 participants examine dossiers collected about a job applicant, in some conditions containing either positively or negatively valenced information about the applicant, obtained from the Internet. Results indicated online information significantly increases attributional certainty and positively valenced online information led to more favorable impressions of the applicant's perceived fit and employability. Surprisingly, results also violate assumptions of the increased magnitude of attributions due to negative information. Findings are discussed with respect to uncertainty reduction strategies, the negativity effect of online information, and implications for job seekers and employers.

  March 18, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12072   open full text
• More Than Friends: Popularity on Facebook and its Role in Impression Formation.
  Scott Graham G.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. February 25, 2014
  Social networking sites such as Facebook are becoming increasingly popular and important but it remains unclear which aspects of profiles convey information used to form impressions. This study expands on research investigating the role of popularity online and its impact on perceptions of targets' personality and appearance. Facebook profile owners' popularity was manipulated via number of friends and photos, and type of wall activity. Participants were 102 undergraduates who viewed 4 Facebook profiles (a popular and unpopular male and female) and judged the individuals represented by each. Popular targets were perceived to be more socially and physically attractive, extroverted and approachable than unpopular targets. Findings mirror offline effects and provide clues as to how profiles are examined and information extracted.

  February 25, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12067   open full text
• Tele‐Cocooning: Mobile Texting and Social Scope.
  Tetsuro Kobayashi, Jeffrey Boase.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. February 19, 2014
  The present study examines the tele‐cocooning hypothesis in the context of general trust using a nationally representative survey of Japanese youth. We find that although frequency of texting is positively correlated with general trust, this correlation is spuriously caused by how heavy mobile texters interpret the words “most people” in the general trust measurement. Heavy users assume that “most people” only refers to friends, family, and others going to the same school. When the effect of the “most people” assumption is controlled, the positive association between texting and general trust disappears. Further exploration of the data shows that heavy texting nevertheless has negative implications for social tolerance and social caution, both of which are theoretically proximate to general trust.

  February 19, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12064   open full text
• Investigating Participatory Dynamics Through Social Media Using a Multideterminant “Frame” Approach: The Case of Climategate on YouTube.
  Amanda J. Porter, Iina Hellsten.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. February 19, 2014
  This paper offers a framework for examining the relationship between social, instrumental, and technological determinants of participation through social media (Dahlberg, 2004) using a discursive approach based in the concepts of frames and framing (Goffman, 1974; Snow & Benford, 1992). We apply our multideterminant framework to investigate participatory dynamics on YouTube in the case of climategate. Our interpretive analysis of videos and comments shows how public responses to climategate were scripted around 3 dominant master frames, reinforced by calls to collective action and media form. Our multideterminant framework makes a contribution to the debate over the transformative potential of social media by providing a method to assess the relative value of social media in response to specific social problems.

  February 19, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12065   open full text
• Virtual Customer Service Agents: Using Social Presence and Personalization to Shape Online Service Encounters.
  Tibert Verhagen, Jaap van Nes, Frans Feldberg, Willemijn van Dolen.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. February 17, 2014
  By performing tasks traditionally fulfilled by service personnel and having a humanlike appearance, virtual customer service agents bring classical service elements to the web, which may positively influence customer satisfaction through eliciting social responses and feelings of personalization. This paper sheds light on these dynamics by proposing and testing a model drawing upon the theories of implicit personality, social response, emotional contagion, and social interaction. The model proposes friendliness, expertise, and smile as determinants of social presence, personalization, and online service encounter satisfaction. An empirical study confirms the cross‐channel applicability of friendliness and expertise as determinants of social presence and personalization. Overall, the study underlines that integration between technology and personal aspects may lead to more social online service encounters.

  February 17, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12066   open full text
• Individual Differences as Predictors of Social Networking.
  Lisa J. Orchard, Chris Fullwood, Niall Galbraith, Neil Morris.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. February 17, 2014
  Research suggests that personality dictates specific Internet preferences. One area that remains relatively unexplored is the influence of personality on engagement with social networking sites (SNSs). The current study employs a ‘Uses and Gratifications’ framework to investigate whether personality, age, and sex predict motivations for using SNSs. The study explores both global and specific factors of personality using Eysenck's EPQ‐R short form (extraversion, neuroticism and psychoticism) and Beck's SAS (sociotropy and autonomy). Principal component analysis identified ten distinct motivational components, which were then successfully predicted by individual differences through regression analyses. It is therefore suggested that individuals with different profiles vary in their motivations for using SNSs. Results support theoretical assumptions based on previous literature and personality dispositions.

  February 17, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12068   open full text
• Facebook, the Third‐Person Effect, and the Differential Impact Hypothesis.
  Valarie Schweisberger, Jennifer Billinson, T. Makana Chock.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. January 29, 2014
  This study examined the effects of embedding and framing online news stories in social media contexts on perceived message influence and third‐person effects (3PE). 88 undergraduates at a Northeastern U.S. university participated in an online experiment in which they evaluated news stories posted on Facebook. A 4 x 2 mixed experimental design was used with the between‐subject variables of viewing condition (no Facebook frame, neutral Facebook, positive Facebook evaluation, and negative Facebook evaluation) and the within‐subjects factor of story relevance (Low, High). Results indicate that perceptions of personal influence increase in social media contexts for more personally relevant stories. These results are consistent with the Differential Impact Hypothesis.

  January 29, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12061   open full text
• The Hyperlinked World: A Look at How the Interactions of News Frames and Hyperlinks Influence News Credibility and Willingness to Seek Information.
  Porismita Borah.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. January 22, 2014
  Prior research has identified the influence of using hyperlinks in online information gathering. This study attempts to understand first, how hyperlinks can influence individuals' perceptions of news credibility and information‐seeking behavior. Second, the paper extends previous research by examining the interaction of hyperlinks with the content of the story. In doing so, the paper examines the influence of hyperlinks on news frames. The data for the study were collected using 2 experiments embedded in web‐based survey of participants. Findings show that hyperlinks in news stories can increase perceptions of credibility as well as information‐seeking. Results reveal the interaction of news frames in the process; hyperlinks increase participants' perception of news credibility; but only in the value‐framed condition. Implications are discussed.

  January 22, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12060   open full text
• Why We Distort in Self‐Report: Predictors of Self‐Report Errors in Video Game Play.
  Adam S. Kahn, Rabindra Ratan, Dmitri Williams.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. January 16, 2014
  Using Cognitive Dissonance and Balance Theory, this study investigates factors that predict how and why MMO players inaccurately report their game playing time. It was hypothesized that players belonging to categories other than the stereotypical game player (e.g. younger, less educated, male) would be likely to underreport playing time. It was also hypothesized that those players who held less positive attitudes toward the game would be more likely to underreport their playing time. Comparing people's self‐reported weekly usage of an MMO, EverQuest II, with their actual average weekly usage of the game, data showed that age, education, lack of enjoyment playing the game, and lack of an online sense of community predicted greater levels of underreporting.

  January 16, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12056   open full text
• The Shot Heard Around the World Wide Web: Who Heard What Where About Osama bin Laden's Death.
  Barbara K. Kaye, Thomas J. Johnson.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. January 10, 2014
  This study investigated what sources were relied on to find out about Osama bin Laden's death and whether perceptions of credibility and political party affiliation influenced these media choices. The most striking difference in media reliance for bin Laden news was that whatever sources Tea Partiers relied on and thought credible were those that Democrats did not rely on or see as credible. Despite the clamor about how quickly news flows through social network sites and Twitter, only about 5% of respondents first heard about bin Laden through these sources and a slightly larger percentage spread the news via these tools. Moreover, social network sites and Twitter were the least relied on about the aftermath of bin Laden's death.

  January 10, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12055   open full text
• Facebook Use by Persons with Disabilities.
  Carmit‐Noa Shpigelman, Carol J. Gill.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. January 10, 2014
  Social network sites have a potential to empower persons with disabilities. However, this issue has received little attention in research. As a step toward addressing this need, we conducted an online survey about how persons with disabilities use Facebook. We used primarily descriptive statistics and also compared activities relating to nondisabled and disabled friends and groups. The findings indicated that the 172 persons with disabilities who responded to our survey use Facebook much as others do, meaning that they primarily connect with their nondisabled Facebook friends. They have not yet used the potential of Facebook to promote advocacy activities through groups. These findings, including how to mine the potential of social network sites for persons with disabilities, are discussed.

  January 10, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12059   open full text
• Will the Revolution be Tweeted or Facebooked? Using Digital Communication Tools in Immigrant Activism.
  Summer Harlow, Lei Guo.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. January 10, 2014
  Considering the debate over U.S. immigration reform and the way digital communication technologies increasingly are being used to spark protests, this qualitative study examines focus group discourse of immigration activists to explore how digital media are transforming the definitions of “activism” and “activist.” Analysis suggests technologies are perhaps pacifying would‐be activists, convincing them they are contributing more than they actually are. Thus, “slacktivism,” or “clicktivism” that takes just a mouse click is potentially diluting “real” activism.

  January 10, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12062   open full text
• Public Displays of Play: Studying Online Games in Physical Settings.
  Nicholas Taylor, Jennifer Jenson, Suzanne de Castell, Barry Dilouya.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. January 10, 2014
  As research on virtual worlds gains increasing attention in educational, commercial, and military domains, a consideration of how player populations are ‘reassembled’ through social scientific data is a timely matter for communication scholars. This paper describes a large‐scale study of virtual worlds in which participants were recruited at public gaming events, as opposed to through online means, and explores the dynamic relationships between players and contexts of play that this approach makes visible. Challenging conventional approaches to quantitatively driven virtual worlds research, which categorizes players based on their involvement in an online game at a particular point in time, this account demonstrates how players' networked gaming activities are contingent on who they are playing with, where, and when.

  January 10, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12054   open full text
• Facebook User Research Using a Probability‐Based Sample and Behavioral Data.
  Tom Wells, Michael Link.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. January 10, 2014
  Research on Facebook users is often based on small convenience samples and on usage data collected through survey self‐reports. The current research contributes to Facebook user research, as it is based on a large, nationally representative, probability‐based, U.S. sample with Internet usage data collected from meters. Results revealed that 50% of sample members are recent Facebook users. However, within this group, there is wide variation in amount of usage between heavy, medium, and light users. Finally, based on a multivariate analysis, Facebook users are significantly more likely to be women, teens, whites, and adults with at least a high school diploma. These demographic patterns apply to heavy, medium, and light Facebook users.

  January 10, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12058   open full text
• Effects of Online Comments on Smokers' Perception of Antismoking Public Service Announcements.
  Rui Shi, Paul Messaris, Joseph N. Cappella.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. January 10, 2014
  On YouTube antismoking PSAs are widely viewed and uploaded; they also receive extensive commentary by viewers. This study examined whether such evaluative comments with or without uncivil expressions influence evaluations by subsequent viewers. Results showed PSAs with positive (i.e. antismoking) comments were perceived by smokers as more effective than PSAs with negative (prosmoking) comments. Smokers in the no‐comment condition gave the highest perceived effectiveness score to PSAs. Smokers' readiness to quit smoking moderated the effect of comments on PSA evaluation. Smokers reading negative uncivil comments reported more negative attitude toward quitting and a lower level of perceived risk of smoking than those reading negative civil comments but positive civil and positive uncivil comments did not elicit different responses.

  January 10, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12057   open full text
• The Communicative Functions of Emoticons in Workplace E‐Mails: :‐).
  Karianne Skovholt, Anette Grønning, Anne Kankaanranta.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. January 10, 2014
  CMC research presents emoticons as visual representations of writers' emotions. We argue that the emoticons in authentic workplace e‐mails do not primarily indicate writers' emotions. Rather, they provide information about how an utterance is supposed to be interpreted. We show that emoticons function as contextualization cues, which serve to organize interpersonal relations in written interaction. They serve 3 communicative functions. First, when following signatures, emoticons function as markers of a positive attitude. Second, when following utterances that are intended to be interpreted as humorous, they are joke/irony markers. Third, they are hedges: when following expressive speech acts (such as thanks, greetings, etc.) they function as strengtheners and when following directives (such as requests, corrections, etc.) they function as softeners.

  January 10, 2014   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12063   open full text
• Expectations and Experiences With MyLabourParty: From Right to Know to Right to Participate?
  Marika Lüders, Asbjørn Følstad, Espen Waldal.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. November 26, 2013
  Social media are often argued to change political communication, decreasing the distance between politicians and citizens, and increasing citizens' influence on policymaking. This paper presents findings from a study of how the Norwegian Labour Party uses social media, focusing on the community platform MyLabourParty. Interviews with politicians and a survey with citizens as respondents were conducted to examine the experiences of online political discussions. Findings show that citizens and politicians expect MyLabourParty to strengthen citizen participation. Yet, citizens still experience communication asymmetry and politicians may find it challenging to participate to the extent citizens expect. Means for bridging the gap between expectations and experiences are called for, in particular redefinition of the offering, changes of user‐practices, and system improvements.

  November 26, 2013   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12047   open full text
• More Harm Than Good? Online Media Use and Political Disaffection Among College Students in the 2008 Election.
  Masahiro Yamamoto, Matthew J. Kushin.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. November 26, 2013
  This study examines the ways in which online media influenced political disaffection among young adults during the 2008 presidential election campaign. The effects of social media attention, online expression, and traditional Internet sources on political cynicism, apathy, and skepticism were evaluated using data from an online survey of college students. Results show that attention to social media for campaign information is positively related to cynicism and apathy and negatively related to skepticism. Online expression has a positive effect on skepticism. Implications are discussed for the role of social media in bringing a historically disengaged demographic into the political process.

  November 26, 2013   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12046   open full text
• A New Space for Political Behavior: Political Social Networking and its Democratic Consequences.
  Leticia Bode, Emily K. Vraga, Porismita Borah, Dhavan V. Shah.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. November 26, 2013
  Social networking sites (SNS) currently boast more than half a billion active users worldwide, the majority of which are young people. With notable exceptions, few studies have ventured into the growing political realm that exists on these sites. This study expands research on SNS by examining both what encourages people to express themselves politically in this realm, and what effects such expression may have on classic questions of political participation. We test the proposition that political use of SNS among teens offers a new pathway to their political participation using hierarchical linear regression and panel data analysis. Results demonstrate that political SNS use strongly impacted both levels of and growth in traditional political participation during the 2008 election.

  November 26, 2013   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12048   open full text
• Extending the Similarity‐Attraction Effect: The Effects of When‐Similarity in Computer‐Mediated Communication.
  Maurits Kaptein, Deonne Castaneda, Nicole Fernandez, Clifford Nass.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. November 26, 2013
  The feeling of connectedness experienced in computer‐mediated relationships can be explained by the similarity‐attraction effect (SAE). Though SAE is well established in psychology, the effects of some types of similarity have not yet been explored. In 2 studies, we demonstrate similarity‐attraction based on the timing of activities—“when‐similarity.” We describe a novel experimental paradigm for manifesting when‐similarity while controlling for the activities being performed (what‐similarity). Study 1 (N = 24) shows when‐similarity attraction in the evaluation of connectedness with others. Study 2 (N = 42) identifies an interaction between who‐similarity—similarity in personal backgrounds—and when‐similarity. Both studies show that real‐time computer‐mediated interaction can lead to greater feelings of connectedness between people when there is an opportunity to discover when‐similarity.

  November 26, 2013   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12049   open full text
• Channeling Science Information Seekers' Attention? A Content Analysis of Top‐Ranked vs. Lower‐Ranked Sites in Google.
  Nan Li, Ashley A. Anderson, Dominique Brossard, Dietram A. Scheufele.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. November 14, 2013
  Researchers have suggested that search engines shape portrayals of information by making large and popular websites more prominent while discriminating against smaller sites. Despite the possible skew of information sources, little empirical work has examined whether there is consistent dominance of content representative of that in highly ranked web links provided by search engines. We conducted a content analysis of a particular issue—nanotechnology—in Google and found that the very top‐ranked Google results are likely to feature the technical‐, environmental‐, and risk‐related aspects of nanotechnology. We compared this to lower‐ranked search results and found emphasis on significantly different themes. The implications of Google as a market‐dominant search engine on the diversity of online science content are discussed.

  November 14, 2013   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12043   open full text
• An Analysis of Language in University Students' Text Messages.
  Fiona Lyddy, Francesca Farina, James Hanney, Lynn Farrell, Niamh Kelly O'Neill.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. November 14, 2013
  Concerns over effects of ‘textisms’ on literacy have been reinforced by research identifying processing costs associated with reading textisms. But to what extent do such studies reflect actual textism use? This study examined the textual characteristics of 936 text messages in English (13391 words). Message length, nonstandard spelling, sender and message characteristics and word frequency were analyzed. The data showed that 25% of word content used nonstandard spelling, the most frequently occurring category involving omission of capital letters. Types of nonstandard spelling varied only slightly depending on the purpose of the text message, while the overall proportion of nonstandard spelling did not differ significantly. Less than 0.2% of content was ‘semantically unrecoverable.’ Implications for experimental studies of textisms are discussed.

  November 14, 2013   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12045   open full text
• Are We All Online Content Creators Now? Web 2.0 and Digital Divides.
  David R. Brake.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. November 08, 2013
  Despite considerable interest in online content creation there has been comparatively little academic analysis of the distribution of such practices, both globally and among social groups within countries. Drawing on theoretical frameworks used in digital divide studies, I outline differences in motivation, access, skills, and usage that appear to underlie and perpetuate differences in online content creation practices between social groups. This paper brings together existing studies and new analyses of existing survey datasets. Together they suggest online content creators tend to be from relatively privileged groups and the content of online services based on their contributions may be biased towards what is most interesting or relevant to them. Some implications of these findings for policymakers and researchers are considered.

  November 08, 2013   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12042   open full text
• Construction of Values in Online and Offline Dating Discourses: Comparing Presentational and Articulated Rhetorics of Relationship Seeking.
  Jimmie Manning.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. October 09, 2013
  This manuscript compares presentational rhetorics in online personal advertisements to articulated rhetorics generated through interviewing sessions to understand rhetorics of online dating. Online self‐presentation literature is reviewed and an argument for a rhetorical‐epistemological approach to studies of online dating is presented. 30 online daters from a metropolitan region of the Midwestern United States (mostly white, aged 25–35, gender diverse) provided a copy of their online personal advertisement and participated in an interview. Personal advertisements and interview transcripts were analyzed separately using values coding to consider rhetorical dimensions. Results indicate ethos is a primary concern of online daters and limits what can be stated in online profiles. Discussion explores implications of articulated and presentational rhetorics as well as potential future studies.

  October 09, 2013   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12037   open full text
• Networked Resistance: The Case of WikiLeaks.
  Bart Cammaerts.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. June 25, 2013
  In this article, WikiLeaks is embedded within broader debates relevant to both social movement and mediation theory. First, the nature of the ties between a variety of relevant actors are assessed. Second, the networked opportunities and constraints at a discursive and material level of analysis are highlighted and finally the resistance strategies they employ towards mainstream culture are addressed. It is concluded that at the heart of information and communication resistance a dynamic dialectic can be observed between mediated opportunities for disruptions and attempts of the powers that be to close down these opportunities. Furthermore, it has to be acknowledged that reliance on mainstream actors and structures for exposure, funding or hosting contentious content comes with risks for radical activists.

  June 25, 2013   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12024   open full text
• ‘Is this normal?’ The role of category predicates in constructing mental illness online.
  David C. Giles, Julie Newbold.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. June 11, 2013
  One of their functions of online mental health communities is the construction of coherent identities for their members based on the various characteristics of different mental health conditions. This paper contains microanalyses of 2 message threads on mental health discussion forums—one concerning depression and the other ‘emetophobia’ (fear of being sick)—which illustrate some of the discursive functions of such forums. Conversation analytic techniques are employed, such as the use of second stories for social support purposes, and the generation of category predicates for building up a set of activities that constitute ‘normality’ in this context. It is argued that these socially situated practices constitute a more important function of online support groups than the mere dissemination of ‘advice’.

  June 11, 2013   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12022   open full text
• Enhancing Online Community Activity: Development and validation of the CA framework.
  F.J.M. van Varik, H. van Oostendorp.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. June 11, 2013
  Factors contributing to development of active communities are identified and combined into the Community Activity framework, which is useful in setting up new, or revitalizing inactive, communities. Found factors include: notifying members of new messages by e‐mail, having a news section, and ability to add pictures to member profiles. During application of the framework to an inactive community, changes have been made to privacy options, polls, activity notifications, and other areas. Significant positive effects have been found in the number of visits, volume of posted messages, and number of topics. Interest of community members in both user profiles and the message board increased significantly. We conclude that the Community Activity framework is able to contribute in developing active online communities.

  June 11, 2013   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12020   open full text
• Campaigning on Twitter: Microblogging and Online Social Networking as Campaign Tools in the 2010 General Elections in the Netherlands.
  Maurice Vergeer, Liesbeth Hermans.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. June 11, 2013
  The present study focuses on how candidates in the Dutch general elections of 2010 use Twitter, a popular microblogging and social networking service. Specifically the study focuses on explaining why some candidates are more likely to adopt Twitter, have larger networks, and show more reciprocation than other candidates. The innovation hypothesis, predicting that candidates from less established and smaller parties will use Twitter more extensively, is unsupported. This suggests that normalization of campaign practices is present on Twitter, not changing existing communication practices. The findings do show that being an early adopter of these new technologies is more effective than adoption shortly before Election Day.

  June 11, 2013   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12023   open full text
• Measuring Mobile Phone Use: Self‐Report Versus Log Data.
  Jeffrey Boase, Rich Ling.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. June 10, 2013
  Approximately 40% of mobile phone use studies published in scholarly communication journals base their findings on self‐report data about how frequently respondents use their mobile phones. Using a subset of a larger representative sample we examine the validity of this type of self‐report data by comparing it to server log data. The self‐report data correlate only moderately with the server log data, indicating low criterion validity. The categorical self‐report measure asking respondents to estimate “how often” they use their mobile phones fared better than the continuous self‐report measure asking them to estimate their mobile phone activity “yesterday.” A multivariate exploratory analysis further suggests that it may be difficult to identify under‐ and overreporting using demographic variables alone.

  June 10, 2013   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12021   open full text
• Evolving Mobile Media: Uses and Conceptualizations of the Mobile Internet.
  Lee Humphreys, Thilo Von Pape, Veronika Karnowski.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. May 30, 2013
  Technological convergence has led to the ability to access the internet from a variety of mobile devices. Drawing on the Mobile Phone Appropriation Model (Wirth, von Pape & Karnowski, 2008), we sought to understand how people conceptualize and use the mobile internet by conducting semistructured interviews with 21 mobile internet users, half American and half German in order to explore cross‐cultural differences. Findings suggest little cross‐cultural difference in use and understanding of the mobile Internet. Users do not perceive the act of “going online” as a significant step, even if it is on a mobile device. They do, however, distinguish between different ways of consuming information online (extractive and immersive), relating them to different situations and devices.

  May 30, 2013   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12019   open full text
• Expertise Recognition and Influence in Intercultural Groups: Differences Between Face‐to‐Face and Computer‐Mediated Communication.
  Natalya N. Bazarova, Y. Connie Yuan.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. May 30, 2013
  Expertise recognition is challenging in teamwork, particularly in intercultural collaboration. This research seeks to investigate how cultural differences in communication styles may affect expertise recognition and influence in face‐to‐face (FtF) versus text‐based computer‐mediated communication (CMC). Using experimental intercultural groups, we found that in FtF groups East Asian experts had a lower participation rate, and were perceived as less competent, less confident, and less influential than experts from Western culture. No such differences occurred in CMC. The results support mediated moderation effect of perceived confidence on expert influence such that changes in perceptions of Chinese and American experts' confidence accounted for their different levels of influence in CMC versus FtF. No such effect was found with participation rate.

  May 30, 2013   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12018   open full text
• Discursive Equality and Everyday Talk Online: The Impact of “Superparticipants”.
  Todd Graham, Scott Wright.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. May 20, 2013
  Empirical studies of online debate almost universally observe a “dominant” minority of posters. Informed by theories of deliberative democracy, these are typically framed negatively—yet research into their impact on debate is scant. To address this, a typology of what we call super‐participation (super‐posters, agenda‐setters and facilitators) is developed and applied to the http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/ forum. Focusing on the first of these, we found 2,052 superposters (0.4%) contributing 47% of 25m+ posts. While superposters were quantitatively dominant, qualitative content analysis of the discursive practices of 25 superposters (n=40,044) found that most did not attempt to stop other users from posting (curbing) or attack them (flaming). In fact, in contradiction to the received wisdom, super‐posters discursively performed a range of positive roles.

  May 20, 2013   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12016   open full text
• The New About News: How Print, Online, Free, and Mobile Coconstruct New Audiences in Italy, France, Spain, the UK, and Germany.
  Leopoldina Fortunati, Mark Deuze, Federico de Luca.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. May 20, 2013
  This paper presents cross‐national research on news readership diversification. We compare written news (print and free newspapers, online and mobile news services) audiences in the 5 most populous and industrialized European countries (Italy, France, Spain, the UK and Germany). Outlining a sociodemographic portrait of these different news users is important in order to understand the changes undergone inside the world of written news. We draw on a telephone survey carried out in 2009, using a representative population sample (N=7,255). The survey considers sociodemographic variables, including a range of social activities and attitudinal variables, television, computer, and mobile phone ownership, and Internet access and use. Findings show a rich, but volatile relationship between written news, audience behaviors, and community participation.

  May 20, 2013   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12017   open full text
• The “Nasty Effect:” Online Incivility and Risk Perceptions of Emerging Technologies.
  Ashley A. Anderson, Dominique Brossard, Dietram A. Scheufele, Michael A. Xenos, Peter Ladwig.
  Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication / Journal of Computer Mediated Communication. February 19, 2013
  Uncivil discourse is a growing concern in American rhetoric, and this trend has expanded beyond traditional media to online sources, such as audience comments. Using an experiment given to a sample representative of the U.S. population, we examine the effects online incivility on perceptions toward a particular issue—namely, an emerging technology, nanotechnology. We found that exposure to uncivil blog comments can polarize risk perceptions of nanotechnology along the lines of religiosity and issue support.

  February 19, 2013   doi: 10.1111/jcc4.12009   open full text